Ian Thompson

I was born in Liverpool, England, but I have lived most of my life in a small town in Cheshire. I pursued a career in textiles, including laboratory testing and quality control. Give me some fibres from a carpet, item of clothing or curtain, plus a microscope and some chemicals, and I’ll quickly tell you all about them!

Throughout my life, I have loved good tales - whether in the form of novels and short stories, TV shows, movies, comics or video games. I like fast-paced adventures, strong and unusual characters, gritty action and twists I wasn't expecting. Being taken away into the realm of someone's imagination has always appealed to me and has driven me to create realms of my own.

Paradise Exhumed

Two reporters. A relentless killer. A desperate race to stop the slaughter.

In an exclusive English village for millionaires, residents believe their safety is guaranteed... until the infamous celebrity Gemini Hart is found horrifically murdered in her own home.

Reporters Ray Hammett and Jessica Summers investigate. They are shrewd, courageous and caring, and share a humorous camaraderie. Soon their new partnership is tested to its limits.

Inside the village, the pair find eccentricities, deceptions, hatreds and dark secrets, which reveal that this suburban paradise is rotten to the core. As more murders compound the mystery, Hammett and Jessica struggle against vicious gangsters, disbelieving police and murderous attacks.

Nothing makes sense. Many people lie about knowing Hart. Everyone is hiding something. Hart's enemies form a huge list of suspects. Some of the killer's new victims are ex-lovers of Hart, others enemies, others seem to have no link to her. Hart’s past, from beginnings as a prostitute to her rise to fame and fortune, proves vital to the case. As the bodycount rises, every suspect is alibied for at least one murder...

If Hammett and Jessica work fast and hard, they might just stop the slaughter – if they live long enough.

God Of War

Horror

For 2000 years, a horror has been waiting – starving, hating and utterly insane...

Julie Harrison is a smart, dedicated British university student. Together with her over-protective brother Michael and his jealous girlfriend, she joins a caving trip into Maar’s Maw in the Pennines. However, adventure turns to terror when the team become trapped deep underground – in the lair of an ancient behemoth.

Amid the chaos and panic, Julie finds the courage to lead the survivors. She knows they must work together, to try to evade the beast that now stalks them and to discover a way of escape. Their journey reveals evidence of ancient conflicts and slaughter, and clues to how their hunter was created. As days pass, they become exhausted, sick and hungry. They suffer the harrowing loss of friends to the monstrosity’s ravenous attacks. Hope is ebbing away...

How far will friendship take the survivors? What extremes will their darker sides take them to?​Can anyone escape this subterranean hell and the relentless wrath of the God Of War?

Era Of Darkness - Volume I: The Apocalypse Begins

Hatred, distrust and conflict divide the nations of the world of Emeran – at a time when an apocalyptic threat is rising.

Hordes of demonic warriors swarm from beyond the great Wall of Light. They crush opposing armies. They eradicate towns and villages. They have already slaughtered the Unseen Gods... This is an invasion like no other. Their purpose is not to expand their territory, to instil their doctrines on other people or to plunder the riches of their prey, but simply to destroy every living thing...

Against such a threat – the coming of the Era of Darkness – heroism, desperation and self-sacrifice will surely not be enough.

Era Of Darkness - Volume II: Extinction

Fantasy Action

The War of Emeran reaches its devastating conclusion. With hundreds of thousands of demons and abominations besieging Tremok, the city’s defences begin to crumble. Far to the north, a desperate mission takes a terrible twist. Hopes dwindle and extinction looms. Can anything stop the relentless and seemingly infinite demon hordes..?

In Era Of Darkness Volume II, the Human city of Tremok becomes the target for every demon warrior. The Demon Masters know that once Tremok falls, all hope is lost for the world.

The raw heroism of Tremok’s defenders faces a force that utterly outnumbers and outmatches them. Battles become more and more desperate. Human numbers dwindle in every slaughter. Survivors are exhausted and losing hope...

And worse is to come.

What has happened to Pec’s expedition to the Demon Masters’ citadel?And what of the demons’ reinforcements? More lethal warriors. More terrible weapons. More horrific allies...

Era of Darkness: Complete Book Bundle

Fantasy Action

Volume I: The Apocalypse Begins

Hatred, distrust and conflict divide the nations of the world of Emeran – at a time when an apocalyptic threat is rising. Hordes of demonic warriors swarm from beyond the great Wall of Light. They crush opposing armies. They eradicate towns and villages. They have already slaughtered the Unseen Gods... This is an invasion like no other. Their purpose is not to expand their territory, to instil their doctrines on other people or to plunder the riches of their prey, but simply to destroy every living thing...

Plunge into a realm facing annihilation: Epic battles and gritty action. Dark magic and horrendous monstrosities. Soul-crushing choices. Impossible odds, defeat and despair. Against the coming of the Era of Darkness, heroism, desperation and self-sacrifice will surely not be enough... Extinction is inevitable.

Volume II: Extinction

Hundreds of thousands of warriors have already perished in the war against the demon invaders. Now the conflict reaches a devastating conclusion... And what of the new demon reinforcements? More lethal warriors. More terrible weapons. More horrific allies... Yet, worse is to come... What has happened to Pec’s expedition to the Demon Masters’ citadel? Has an insidious betrayal consigned the nations of Emeran to extinction? The Era Of Darkness is about to consume Emeran forever.

From 5-Star Reviews for Volume I:“The action is intense, the battles are brutal, and the characters are complex and very real.”“...intense battles, incredible dark magic... so many twists and turns... I loved it”“...mixture of fantasy, mystery, loyalty that make it a one of a kind story”“Fast and furious paced action fantasy... Great characters... Battles are huge and bloodthirsty”“I was impressed by the quality of the storytelling... an enthralling mix... a solid read”

Review Of Volume I by Mike Reynolds on Amazon.com – 5 Stars – Magic, Unstoppable Evil, and Brutal, Brutal Combat“Wow! The world Ian Thompson created for Era of Darkness is immense, and his cast of characters is huge. Luckily, Mr. Thompson is a fantastic guide. He drops you in the middle of the action and leads you through a world bracing itself against its inevitable demise. The action is intense, the battles are brutal, and the characters are complex and very real. What a great story!“I did thoroughly enjoy this story, and I will be picking up Era of Darkness Volume II: Extinction. If you love heart-pumping action and vicious battles, you have to read this book. However, I must warn. The action is brutal and gruesome. If you're squeamish about blood (or organs exploding or bones shattering), you may want to avoid this one.”

Survival I: Slaughter At Ghastar: A Novella from the Era Of Darkness

Fantasy Action

Hordes of demonic warriors swarm from beyond the great Wall of Light. They crush opposing armies. They eradicate towns and villages. They have already slaughtered the Unseen Gods... This is an invasion like no other. Their purpose is not to expand their territory, to instill their doctrines on other people or to plunder the riches of their prey, but simply to destroy every living thing...

At dawn, the demon forces reach the peaceful Human village of Ghastar – and an atrocious massacre ensues...

A small group of refugees meet an old hermit and retreat to his cabin. Soon they are trapped and under siege...

Glancing Blow (Short Horror Tales Book 1)

Horror

Late at night, a man drives through a hellish storm on a dark, secluded forest road. When a creature lunges out in front of his car, he strikes it a glancing blow... Resulting in a nerve-shredding drama of pursuit, violence and suffering as his unintentional victim seeks revenge. Can he survive this grotesque beast?

Glancing Blow is the first in a new series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists... So why not take a passenger seat in a car headed towards nightmarish horror?

​Hooker (Short Horror Tales Book 2)

Horror

Beauty can be only skin deep. Horror can go right through to the bone.

Nigel Fawson is down on his luck - he's lost both his job and his family - so he sets out to get drunk in a seedy bar. Soon Fawson is comforted by a beautiful girl named Valerie. When he discovers that his new friend is a prostitute, he decides to throw caution to the wind and return to her apartment with her... And that's when his night turns from awful to utterly lethal.

Hooker is the second in a new series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

Chained (Short Horror Tales Book 3)

Horror

A derelict building. The police find forty-two human skeletons... and one man chained to a wall. He is barely alive. He looks helpless, starved and possibly tortured. What happened to him? What did he witness? What is responsible for all the horrors of this house? And what is the reason for the victim’s strange, desperate request?

Chained is the third in a series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists... So why not join the police at the crime scene and uncover the horrific truth that lies there?

Ignition Source (Short Horror Tales Book 4)

Horror

Late at night, at a huge warehouse, a disabled security guard expects another boring, routine shift of work. He is utterly unprepared for the horror and terror he will have to endure. First there are intruders, then a raging fire, horrific murders... and a monstrous secret that is both alive and utterly lethal. In the face of a challenge which makes him doubt his sanity, can he survive..?

Ignition Source is the fourth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

HouseOf My Dreams (Short Horror Tales Book 5)

Horror

Sometimes the worst monsters are human. Luke remembers nothing from the first ten years of his life – but whatever happened causes him hideous nightmares. Was something done to him... or did he do something terrible? Dr Maybury can cure Luke, but at what cost? And what does Luke’s newest, most awful nightmare mean?

House Of My Dreams is the fifth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

Bug Hunt (Short Horror Tales Book 6)

Horror

​Something is terribly wrong at an underground bio-weapons facility. Have research teams gone insane? Has some awful virus escaped? Or is the cause even more disturbing..?

A team of elite mercenaries descend to investigate. Their mission soon becomes a raging battle for survival against an outnumbering, nightmarish force... Things spawned by nature, then made even more lethal by science.

Bug Hunt is the sixth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

Kill Him, Slowly (Short Horror Tales Book 7)

Horror

​Mr Slowly is a deadly, ruthless hit man. He never fails in an assignment - never fails to kill his target.

His new job is to kill Joshua J. Woods, a millionaire who lives in a secluded mansion. Woods has security measures - including teams of guards and trained dogs... but Mr Slowly doesn't see these as an obstacle.

One problem the assassin couldn't foresee is that Woods isn't human. He's a supernatural horror, surrounded by his evil brood... And bullets aren't going to stop him.

Is this Mr Slowly's final assignment?

Kill Him, Slowly is the seventh in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

The Burning Rider (Short Horror Tales Book 8)

Horror

The Burning Rider: a childish legend or a merciless supernatural executioner?

For over three centuries, no one has entered the village of Lydchurch at night and survived. There have been over six hundred reports of the apparition, and untold numbers of deaths and disappearances.

Modern-day investors don’t want to believe the old legend. They want to quickly prove that the apparition doesn't exist and start developing the land...

When a small team investigates the abandoned village at night, their task begins with grisly discoveries and evolves into nightmarish horror. Soon the survivors are trying desperately to escape the molten wrath of the Burning Rider...

The Burning Rider is the eighth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

Short Horror Tales - Book Bundle 1

Horror

Super-saving Short Horror Bundle...

GLANCING BLOW: Late at night, a man drives through a hellish storm on a dark, secluded forest road. When a creature lunges out in front of his car, he strikes it a glancing blow... Resulting in a nerve-shredding drama of pursuit, violence and suffering as his unintentional victim seeks revenge. Can he survive this grotesque beast?

HOOKER: Beauty can be only skin deep. Horror can go right through to the bone. Nigel Fawson has lost both his job and his family - so he sets out to get drunk in a seedy bar. Soon Fawson is comforted by a beautiful girl named Valerie. When he discovers that she is a prostitute, he decides to throw caution to the wind and return to her apartment with her... And that's when his night turns from awful to utterly lethal.

CHAINED: A derelict building. The police find forty-two human skeletons... and one man chained to a wall. He is barely alive. He looks helpless, starved and possibly tortured. What happened to him? What did he witness? What is responsible for all the horrors of this house? And what is the reason for the victim’s strange, desperate request?

Short Horror Tales - Book Bundle 2

Horror

Super-saving Short Horror Bundle...

IGNITION SOURCE: Late at night, at a huge warehouse, a disabled security guard expects another boring, routine shift of work. He is utterly unprepared for the horror and terror he will have to endure. First there are intruders, then a raging fire, horrific murders... and a monstrous secret that is both alive and utterly lethal. In the face of a challenge which makes him doubt his sanity, can he survive..?

HOUSE OF MY DREAMS: Sometimes the worst monsters are human. Luke remembers nothing from the first ten years of his life – but whatever happened causes him hideous nightmares. Was something done to him... or did he do something terrible? Dr Maybury can cure Luke, but at what cost? And what does Luke’s newest, most awful nightmare mean?

BUG HUNT: Something is terribly wrong at an underground bio-weapons facility. Have research teams gone insane? Has some awful virus escaped? Or is the cause even more disturbing..? A team of elite mercenaries descend to investigate. Their mission soon becomes a raging battle for survival against an outnumbering, nightmarish force... Things spawned by nature, then made even more lethal by science.

Troll (Short Horror Tales Book 9)

A friend in need... A bizarre house... A terrible secret... Who will survive the Troll?

An urgent message sends Steve rushing to the home of his old friend Tom Howard. He expects to find Tom relapsed into drug addiction, but instead finds something even more sinister.

The condition of the house is grotesquely, unnaturally strange. And Tom is living in the basement, almost starved to death and totally fixated upon the internet. Tom tells a story so incredible that Steve doubts his sanity – until he sees the truth for himself...

The Troll is coming, to feast on misery, pain... and human flesh.

Troll is the ninth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists. Here are some reviews from this author’s horror releases:

“...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.” “...great... I could feel the fear...”(Glancing Blow – Short Horror Tales #1)“Great short story...” (Ignition Source – Short Horror Tales #4)“...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that’s not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat...” (God Of War)

Short Horror Tales - Book Bundle 3

Horror

The third super-saving Short Horror Bundle...

KILL HIM, SLOWLY: Mr Slowly is a deadly hit man. His new job is to kill the millionaire Joshua Woods at a secluded mansion. Woods has security measures - but Mr Slowly doesn't see these as an obstacle. One problem the assassin couldn't foresee is that Woods isn't human. He's a supernatural horror... And bullets aren't going to stop him.

THE BURNING RIDER: A childish legend or a merciless supernatural executioner? For centuries, no one has entered Lydchurch at night and survived. When a small team investigates the abandoned village after dark, their task begins with grisly discoveries and evolves into nightmarish horror. Soon the group are trying desperately to escape the molten wrath of the Burning Rider...

TROLL: An urgent message sends Steve rushing to the home of his old friend Tom Howard. He finds the condition of the house grotesquely, unnaturally strange. And Tom is living in the basement, almost starved to death and totally fixated upon the internet. Tom tells a story so incredible that Steve doubts his sanity – until he sees the truth for himself... The Troll is coming, to feast on misery, pain... and human flesh.

The Little Men (Short Horror Tales Book 10)

Horror

Frozen suicides, gunshot victims and shredded corpses. What the hell is going on in Shilsville? And what are the Little Men?

Two men investigate: Dave Renfield, a Native American detective, and Nick Guggenheim, a retired old cop. A combination of tough youth and grizzled dedication. What begins as a series of baffling deaths evolves into a desperate battle for survival against a horror the police can barely believe in. The Little Men have been unleashed and their sole purpose is to slaughter...

It’s kill or be killed – with the lives of an entire town hanging in the balance. A single Little Man is lightning-fast, vicious and utterly deadly... Dave and Nick face a horde of these grotesque beings. The pair emerge from one conflict wounded and exhausted, only to rush for a final lethal showdown...

Can they destroy their relentless aggressors or will the town of Shilsville be exterminated in a wave of relentless carnage?

This is the tenth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists.

Hector Reborn - Volume 1: Death & Life

Fantasy

Prince Hector, the greatest defending warrior in the epic Trojan War, is brutally slain by his nemesis Achilles... And finds himself reborn in an astounding new realm.

Traumatized by separation from his family, nation and world, Hector finds it hard to accept his new life. The beautiful Elsha of the Nemalite people, introduces him to an Elysium of kindness, harmony and magic, where living gods can walk among mortals. The Trojan Prince at first believes this world is perfect. He gradually learns of a grotesque force which holds the Nemalites under a thrall of fear and hopelessness. Hector acts to save his new friends...

But the result of his efforts is not peace, rather the unleashing of hellish turmoil. Guilty of the murder of innocents and hated by his companions, Hector fights to curtail the disaster he has caused. Against him stands an army of Shaltine – supernatural warriors which exude an aura of Fear, rendering all opponents helpless. Countless lives, both on Elysium and back on Hector’s home world, are threatened. And amid all the chaos, desperation and destruction, there awaits a malevolent revelation for Hector...

Something so awful it may destroy Hector’s sanity before it takes his life.

Zombie Horde (The Earth Bleeds - Short Tales Book 1)

Horror/Zombie

Four years ago, the Earth began to bleed – and a zombie plague infested our world...

Ed, once a comic book writer and a drunk, is now a seasoned veteran of the apocalypse. With his tough-as-nails friend Marie, he joins a small team on a supply run into hostile territory. When disaster strikes, their armoured truck is destroyed and the group find themselves on foot – far from any safe haven... and hunted by a flesh-hungry horde of the undead.

Their sole chance of finding a new vehicle means a hazardous four mile trek. Areas of vegetation have become jungles. Lethal pools of Earth’s Blood block their path. Zombies are closing-in from all directions. Every conflict diminishes their supplies of ammunition. They grow exhausted, are hampered by injury and must endure the sheer, relentless horror of their pursuers...

In a devastating climax, Ed and his companions face a battle for survival: a handful of the living against almost two hundred thousand of the ravenous undead. Can any of them possibly overcome such odds?

Zombie Horde is the first Short Tale in the new series ‘The Earth Bleeds’ – from the author of God Of War and the best-selling Short Horror Tales. ​Sample Zombie Horde